Egypt reviving Luxor's Grand Avenue of Sphinxes
Egypt is moving ahead with the restoration of the Grand Avenue of Sphinxes, which experts say will be a great cultural achievement for Egypt and an exquisite addition to the study of the ancient Egyptian civilization.
CAIRO — Excavators are working hard in the ancient southern city of Luxor to trace the remaining part of the city's, and probably ancient Egypt's, most important route, namely the Grand Avenue of Sphinxes.
The almost 3,000-year-old road connects Karnak Temple with Luxor Temple, passing by the domain of Mut.
The avenue is 2,700 meters (1.7 miles) long and about 7 meters (23 feet) wide. It contains hundreds of sphinxes, most of them with ram heads, instead of the traditional human heads, on both sides.
The sphinxes sit on raised bases made of sandstone, opposite one another with the avenue itself in the middle. They look as if they guard those using the avenue between the two temples.
